Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader says it will be a bit longer before his office moves to the old GBI Crime Lab building near Hays State Prison.  The county purchased the old crime lab from the state and the sheriff’s office will be moving from its current location in downtown Summerville, behind the courthouse.

The current building that houses the sheriff’s office was, at one time, the residence of the sheriff.  Former Sheriff Gary McConnell spent part of his childhood in the building as his family’s home when his dad was sheriff.  Meals were prepared for the inmates at the jail in the home and the sheriff’s office was located in the courthouse.  The building was converted to a sheriff’s office, but is aging and very cramped.

Sheriff Schrader says that one of the best things about the move to the new building is the fact that there are plenty of offices for his investigators.  Right now, all of the investigators are crowded into one small office.

The sheriff and County Commissioner Blake Elsberry continue to work together on renovations at the old GBI Crime Lab building in anticipation of the move which the sheriff says will be sometime this summer.